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Sunday, July 26, 2009

I Samuel 1-7

This past week I began reading through I Samuel. Our Sunday School class is studying this as part of the Bible Bee competition being held later this year.....at our church the older youth class is with the adults.

***I feel like I need to add here, that I haven't been having a quiet time for a long while....I am so blessed to have spent the last week's worth of mornings with God. If you aren't having a quiet time right now I urge you to try to find some time in the morning. I guarantee that your day will be blessed for it!***

I thought that I would share some thoughts I gleaned from my notes this week on the above passage. I may not do this every week, but it helps me to cement things in my head and I hope it blesses someone else!

As someone who has suffered secondary infertility, I feel a real kinship with Hannah. I remember the longing for a child, and at the time, I already had 2.....I can't imagine her longing! I find it interesting that after Hannah poured her heart out to God that she felt comforted as she left. God works in amazing ways and we very rarely have to wait to know if He heard our prayers!!!! God did allow Hannah to conceive but I imagine that feeling of comfort she had as she left the temple probably meant a lot to her. The strength of Hannah's character also amazes me. She promised God that if He would give her a son, that she would return that son to Him. When Samuel is born, she gave him to God, just as soon as he was weaned (probably around age 3). Can you imagine giving your son to a priest far away to raise as a BABY??? The son that you longed for and pleaded with God for??? Hannah kept her promise and God blessed her for it with more children. Hannah continued to love her son. She made him a new coat every year and took it to him when they went to temple. I have a feeling that Samuel knew exactly how much his mother loved him.

Even as a child Samuel worked in the temple. The examples that were around him were not good (Eli's sons), but God blessed his work (I am sure his mom was praying for him!) and his favor with God and man increased. God spoke directly to Samuel, at a young age, giving him insight into what was going to happen to Eli's family. I have noted that God will only put up with so much disobedience before the punishment begins. I feel that I have been disobeying God in many areas for long enough!!!!!

Next, God spoke to Eli about the evil that was in his family. As God ordained, Eli's sons were killed in a battle with the Philistines. When the news came to Eli, he fell over, broke his neck and died. Eli's daughter in law also died in childbirth after hearing the news. The ark of the covenant was captured by the Philistines. They quickly learned that there were consequences for having possession of the ark of God! After 7 months of possession, they had enough of the illnesses and destruction taking place and sent the ark of God back to Israel. 50,070 Israelite men were killed after some dared to look inside the ark of God. God always punishes disobedience in His people!!!!

Samuel once again urged Israel to return to the one true God. How many times does God have to chase me down and drag me back to Him? I am ashamed to say too many times. After they turned back to God and served Him he enabled them to defeat the Philistines. Samuel was made judge over them.

That's about it. If you would like to comment, please do. I am always open to learning more about God through discussion of His word. I am eager to begin this weeks study. I tasted a little of what I will be reading in Sunday School and can't wait to read it for myself!